Loading...

PODCAST

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast

Canadian Volcanologist & Geophysicist: Jeffrey Mark Zurek, PhD, PGeo | Science Communicator

Winner of the 2026 Science Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) and the 2026 PopCon Podcast Award for Science and Technology, Whimsical Wavelengths is an independent natural sciences and earth science podcast hosted by volcanologist Dr. Jeffrey Zurek, offering high-level science for the endlessly curious.Eschewing bite-sized science for a deep, honest look at how research actually works, the show explores messy data, imperfect models, and the human personalities behind discovery. From

science earth sciences

All Episodes

43:05

Hijacking the Cellular Code: eIF4E, Cancer, & the...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/09/28

In this episode of Whimsical Wavelengths, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek sits down with Dr. Katherine Borden, a professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, to explore the ancient and vital protein eIF4E (or 4E). Long misunderstood as a simple rate-limiting factor in protein synthesis, 4E acts as a master regulator of RNA processing, transport, and translation. Dr. Borden shares the serendipitous discovery of finding 4E in the cell nucleus, how cancer cells hijack this machinery to drive

en-ca

40:06

How the Missoula floods began as scientific heresy:...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/09/14

Season 3 kicks off by flooding the auditory landscape with a deep dive into glacier outburst floods. This episode explores the Missoula Floods, the historical war of ideas between uniformitarianism and catastrophism, and the lonely scientific journey J. Harlen Bretz. Along the way, we examine how intellectual paradigms shift, how ice dams physically fail under immense hydrostatic pressure, and what these ancient cataclysms mean for how we understand geoscience history.Key Themes & Sub-ThemesThe

en-ca

0:58

Following the Data Where It Leads Across the Natural...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/09/07

.Science isn’t a single lane—it’s a vast, interconnected spectrum. In this brief trailer for Season 3 of Whimsical Wavelengths, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek pulls back the curtain on an upcoming slate that follows the data wherever it leads. From the physics of the cosmos and the chemistry of life, to cancer research, massive landslides, and the societal impacts of modern discovery, this season spans disciplines to uncover the hidden stories behind how we understand our world. Hit subscribe and join the

en-ca

50:00

ENCORE The Science of Ice Cream - fat networks,...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/08/31

Why is homemade ice cream never as fluffy as store-bought? This week on Whimsical Wavelengths, we trade liquid rock for liquid dairy and food science. Host Dr. Jeffrey Zurek finds surprising parallels between volcanology and frozen desserts—from rheology and viscosity to the glass transition temperature.Joining the pod is Dr. Abigail Thale, a food scientist and expert in fat structures. We break down the architecture of ice cream, exploring how tiny fat globules form networks to keep your scoop from

en-ca

31:48

ENCORE The Age of the Earth & The Fall of Leaded...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/08/17

How do we know the Earth is 4.55 billion years old? It turns out the man who found the answer also had to save us from an invisible poison. In the Season 1 finale, Dr. Jeff Zurek tells the story of Dr. Clair Patterson, the geochemist who fought the lead industry and won.Tracing Patterson’s path from the Manhattan Project to the University of Chicago and Caltech, we explore how his quest to date the solar system using lead isotopes in meteorites led to a terrifying discovery: global lead

en-ca

40:24

ENCORE Scientific and Historical look at The rise...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/08/03

With a major feature film titled Midge currently in development, the world is looking back at the complicated legacy of Thomas Midgley Jr. In this episode, Dr. Jeff Zurek goes beyond the Hollywood hype to explore the true scientific history of Tetraethyl Lead (TEL).Midgley was an engineering genius who solved "engine knocking" but inadvertently triggered a global lead poisoning crisis. We explore the 1920s corporate landscape where GM, DuPont, and Standard Oil formed the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation,

en-ca

42:54

Under 0.45 Billion Tons: The Geochemical Truth About...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/07/20

It is a flat-out scientific fact: humans emit way more carbon dioxide than volcanoes. It’s not even close. But in this season two solo finale, I don't want you to just take my word for it. Instead, I am taking you down the rabbit hole of how we actually know what we know. This isn't about magical guesses or black-box science; it’s a painstaking process of cross-referencing bubbles, isotopes, and trade data to prove a reality that completely dismantles one of the internet's most stubborn climate

en-ca

61:20

Sequoias of the Deep: White Sturgeon, Polyploidy, and...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/07/06

Time to turn our focus to the mighty river systems of the Pacific Northwest to examine a mysterious titan of the deep—the white sturgeon! BTW there is only one episode left before the summer break and encore presentations. The guest for this episode is Dr. Stuart Willis, a fisheries geneticist with the Hagerman Genetics Lab. Together, we trace the evolutionary history of an apex scavenger, map how massive hydroelectric developments alter river ecology, and unpack the realities of polyploid

en-ca

77:42

The Endless Frontier: How Politics and Policy Shape...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/06/22

The countdown to the end of season 2 continues. With only two new episodes left before our summer encore presentations, we are turning the lens back on ourselves to examine the modern scientific apparatus itself, the institutions, the funding models, and the historical policy shifts that built our world.Joining the conversation are Dr. Ina Ganguli, Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst specializing in labor economics, and Dr. Chris Fisher, chemical biologist and founder

en-ca

59:45

Atomic Legos: How symmetry controls Lanthanide Chemistry

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/06/08

With only three new episodes left before a summer of algorithmic-refreshing encores, I dive headfirst into the frontier of material science.Thomas Karpiak, a PhD candidate from the Leznoff Group at Simon Fraser University, joins the show to tell us about the lanthanides. We explore how these 15 elements serve as the scaffolding for permanent magnets, electric vehicles, and fiber-optic telecommunications. Thomas breaks down why these cations act more like ionic "bowling balls" than standard covalent

en-ca

56:04

Bottoms Up: Decoding Kilauea’s Deep Magma Supply

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/05/25

Kilauea is one of the world's most studied volcanoes, but its deep plumbing still holds mysteries. In this episode, we dive into a "bottoms-up" view of Hawaii’s magmatic system with Gaetano Ferrante, exploring how pressure changes in the deep mantle conduit propagate to the surface.While volcanologists often focus on shallow, top-down triggers like summit collapses or CO2 degassing, Gaetano’s recent research suggests that the deep mantle pathway—stretching nearly 100 km down—plays a much more active

en-ca

65:29

Of Cows and Cures: Reconstructing the Logic of...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/05/11

We treat modern medicine as a given, but for centuries, humanity was blind to the invisible agents of disease. In this solo episode, Dr. Jeff Zurek takes off his volcanologist hat to tackle a listener request.We start with the 14th-century Black Death, tracing how we moved from medieval superstition to engineering viral defenses. We break down the "Sausage-Making" of science, including how 19th-century lens technology and staining finally allowed us to see the microbes that had been killing us for

en-ca

57:14

Inclusive Fieldwork: How Accessibility is Changing...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/04/27

For decades, the "field" has been treated as a character-building barrier in geosciences—a place for the rugged and the able-bodied. But what happens when we view the outdoors as a classroom rather than an obstacle? In S2EP16, Jeff Zurek welcomes Brett Gilley, a Professor of Teaching at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a master of field pedagogy.They dive into the results of a groundbreaking accessible field trip held right here in Vancouver. From the shores of Stanley Park to the

en-ca

69:38

Strepsiptera: A Real Xenomorph? Evolution and Life...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/04/13

What if Alien wasn't science fiction, but a documentary? 2026 Science Podcast of the Year winner Dr. Jeffrey Zurek sits down with Dr. Rebecca Millena (University of Rochester) to explore Strepsiptera, an enigmatic & bizarre insect order.We untangle the "Strepsiptera Problem"—a century-long academic debate over where these creatures belong on the tree of life. From males with "raspberry" eyes to worm-like females that live inside their hosts, we cover the visceral reality of behavioral hijacking,

en-ca

53:54

Maars on Mars: Mapping Volcanic Water Interactions on...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/03/30

Detecting volcanic eruptions on Earth is detective work; doing it on the Red Planet is a feat of cosmic proportions. 2026 Science Podcast of the Year winner Dr. Jeffrey Zurek welcomes Dr. Allison Graettinger (UMKC) to discuss the hunt for "Maars"—violent, steam-driven volcanoes—on Mars.We explore the sociology of becoming a scientist, from muddy kid to volcano expert, & how these unassuming circular lakes are actually clues to subsurface water & ice. Discover the Marvelous Database, the

en-ca

50:49

The Chemical Language of Black Widows: Pheromones and...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/03/16

The Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus) is a master of invisible chemistry. 2026 Science Podcast of the Year winner Dr. Jeffrey Zurek joins Dr. Andy Fisher (Greifswald University) to untangle the chemical love letters hidden in spider silk.We explore how "virtually blind" predators use smell & electrostatic charges to communicate. Discover the "stinky cheese" pheromone, why males destroy female webs during courtship, and the scandalous truth about "cheating" widows who lie about their age

en-ca

37:13

The Artificial Geologist: Using Machine Learning &...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/03/02

The "motherlode" is just a model away. In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) bridges between the classroom & the boardroom with colleague & data scientist Frederick Jackson from Computational Geosciences Inc. Together, they explore how machine learning (ML) & artificial intelligence are revolutionizing mineral exploration.We dig into the expensive reality of drilling—where a single hole can cost over $100k—& how neural networks act as an "artificial geologist" to find patterns

en-ca

57:42

The Science Behind Lunar Permanently Shadowed...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/02/16

What if the coldest, darkest craters on the Moon are quietly storing a record of solar system history and the resources that could power future exploration?In this episode, we dive into the science of lunar permanently shadowed regions (PSRs): craters near the Moon’s poles that sunlight hasn’t touched for potentially billions of years. Dr. Jeffrey Zurek is joined by Dr. Katlyn (Caitlin) Ahrens (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) to unpack what PSRs are, how volatile molecules migrate and freeze

en-ca

62:02

From Canada’s Largest Landslide to Modern Flood...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/02/02

A return to Mount Meager—this time focusing on risk reduction, sediment hazards, and what can be done to protect downstream communities. Jeff talks with resilience researcher Veronica Woodruff about sediment‑rich rivers, engineered logjams, and the human side of hazard mitigation.Whimsical Wavelengths: deep‑dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time.Two weeks ago, Dr. Glyn Williams‑Jones walked us through Meager’s

en-ca

48:50

Mount Meager: Canada’s Most Dangerous Volcano?...

Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast ·

2026/01/19

Canada has volcanoes — and one of the most hazardous sits just 150 kilometres north of Vancouver.In this episode of Whimsical Wavelengths, host Jeffrey Zurek is joined by volcanologist Dr. Glynn Williams-Jones, Professor of Earth Sciences at Simon Fraser University, for an in-depth look at Mount Meager, one of Canada’s most active — and least understood — volcanic systems.Mount Meager is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, the same tectonic chain that includes Mount St. Helens and Mount Baker

en-ca

55 results

Similar Podcasts

The Deep Dive Lab: Unraveling Materials Science

Son Hoang

New Books in Political Science

New Books Network

Station 151

Pale Matter | Realm

Beyond the Divide

Koala Moon

StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson